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Mexican Christmas Apple Salad

Every year around this time, I try to post recipes that are traditional for the Christmas dinner. Some are known
all over Mexico, and others, like this Christmas Apple Salad, are better known in the central states of Mexico. I know you must be thinking that it looks a lot like
a Waldorf salad, and indeed it does. Somehow, this salad was adopted into our
culture early on and even appears in Christmas recipe books from the 1940’s as
Christmas salad. It has gone through many changes since then; it used to be made with a homemade
mayonnaise, and served over lettuce leaves, but nowadays it looks more like a
dessert than a simple salad. Today’s
cooks add canned pineapple chucks, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, and
instead of mayonnaise, sweet cream is added.

Christmas in Mexico is full of color, music, and
of course, great food. Christmas tree ornaments, poinsettias, piñatas, candles and candies bring a joyful feeling to everyone across the country. Our celebrations begin since December 16th, when the “Posadas” start. Posadas are processions of
people carrying the Nativity scenes, representing Mary and Joseph’s journey to
Bethlehem. During those 9 days, they will go from house to house asking for
lodging. Posadas means “Inn” or “lodging”. When all the friends and relatives carrying
the nativity arrive at the house where it will rest for the night, they will
have a party, and break the traditional piñata. A bigger celebration is done
the evening of the 24th. Some of the traditional foods served in these parties are: Pozole, Tamales, Buñuelos, Atoles, Mexican Christmas Punch,
Champurrado, just to name a few.

MAKES 4 ½ CUPS

INGREDIENTS:

½ lime juice or 2 tsps. of lime juice

1 Pound red apples (About 2 large apples)

2/3 cup celery, finely chopped

2/3 cups raisins

2/3 cups pecans, chopped

½ cup Mexican cream or sour cream

2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

8 Cherries for garnish

6 Curly parsley sprigs for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste.

NOTES:

This is my personal version, trying to stay close
to the earlier recipes for this salad, but if you want you can add diced pineapple, more
cherries, shredded coconut and marshmallows. If you add these last fruits, skip
seasoning with pepper.

I like to peel the apples, but it should have the
skins on. It gives a nice color to the salad. If you love sweet salads, you
will enjoy this one too.

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large
bowl, pour 1 cup of water and the lime juice and stir.

2. Dice the
apples. As you’re dicing the apples, place them in the bowl with the
lime-water to keep them from becoming brown. Once you finish dicing the apples,
make sure to toss them well with the lime-water and then drain the water.

3. Place
diced apples, chopped celery, raisins and pecans in a large bowl and mix well.

4. In a small
bowl, mix the cream with the mayonnaise. (If you want to add the diced pineapple, shredded coconut, and small marshmallows, do so in this step.) Pour
over the chopped fruit and stir, season with salt and pepper*.

5. You can
either serve it on small plates over small lettuce leaves or in small glass cups,
garnished with cherries and the curly parsley sprigs.

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¡HOLA!

Hi, I’m Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes of authentic Mexican food. Read more…